Art of War 12.7
The Art of War (孫子兵法), The Attack By Fire 火攻篇
火發而其兵靜者待而勿攻
(2) If there is an outbreak of fire, but the enemy’s soldiers remain quiet, bide your time and do not attack.
Lionel Giles (1910), Sun Tzŭ on the Art of War (1910), with Giles' notes — public domain.
Lionel Giles's notes
The original text omits 而其. The prime object of attacking with fire is to throw the enemy into confusion. If this effect is not produced, it means that the enemy is ready to receive us. Hence the necessity for caution.
Character glossary
- 火huǒfire, flame; to burn; anger, rage
- 發fāto issue, to dispatch, to send out; hair
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 兵bīngsoldier; troops, an army; warlike
- 靜jìngstill, quiet, motionless, gentle
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 待dàito entertain, to receive, to treat; to d
- 勿wùmust not, do not; without, never
- 攻gōngto accuse; to assault; to criticize
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi Tien Tzŭ Fang
- Zhuangzi The Identity of Contraries
- Art of War 7.34
- Art of War 11.25
- Zhuangzi Kêng Sang Ch’u
- Art of War 9.14
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.
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